Travis, Penny (2019) Does Alexithymia Mediate Between Insecure Attachment and Quality of Life? Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Quality of life (QOL) is defined as overall life satisfaction and develops from the interplay between physical and psychological health, perceptions of wellbeing and social functioning. Insecure attachment is conceptualised as an anxiety or avoidance towards intimate relationships. According to attachment theory, insecure attachment styles can create difficulties developing social support. Alexithymia also affects social navigation and is understood as an inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. This study aimed to explore the relationship between attachment, alexithymia and QOL, and the potential mediating role alexithymia plays between attachment and QOL. Previous studies have found correlations between insecure attachment, alexithymia and QOL. To date, the author is unaware of any studies which explore whether alexithymia mediates between insecure attachment and QOL. 184 Participants completed an online survey comprised of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36). This study provided support for previous research into the correlations between attachment, alexithymia and QOL. Alexithymia was found to significantly mediate (b = -3.00) between insecure attachment and QOL. Insecure attachment and alexithymia together have a much larger impact on QOL than either of these conditions on their own. Recent research has found alexithymia and insecure attachment styles are treatable. It is recommended clinicians treating individuals with low QOL, alexithymia or insecure attachment styles explore the role of each of these factors. This could facilitate a deeper understanding of their client’s difficulties, allowing the clinician to provide more effective wholistic treatment.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Zahra Izadikhah |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Nov 2025 02:23 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Nov 2025 02:23 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alexithymia; quality of life (QOL); insecure attachment; mediate |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52827 |
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